Power systems utilize a variety of electrical devices and connectors to deliver electricity from a power station or generator to customers. Some power systems utilize a three-tiered approach that utilizes high voltage power lines with voltages in the range from approximately 60 kV to 100 kV, medium voltage power lines with voltages in the range from approximately 4 kV to 60 kV, and low voltage power lines with voltages in the range from approximately 90V to 600V.
In these three-tiered power systems, high voltage power lines typically connect a power station or generator to a substation. The substation serves a particular area such as a neighborhood or community and includes a transformer to step-down the voltage from high voltage to medium voltage. Typically, multiple sets of medium voltage power lines connect the substation to local distribution transformers. The distribution transformers typically serve the customers in close proximity to the distribution transformer and step-down the voltage from medium voltage to low voltage for use by the customers.
The power lines used to deliver electricity to customers have also been used to transmit and receive communications signals. For example, power lines have been used by utility companies to transmit and receive low bandwidth communications signals to monitor equipment and to read meters. Power lines have also been used to provide broadband communications for customers. For example, using existing technologies, low voltage power lines have been used to transmit communications signals to a wireless access point, which is further used to transmit the communications signals to a metropolitan area network (MAN). As another example, using existing technologies, low voltage power lines within a customer premises have been used to transmit communications signals for use by devices within the customer premises. As yet another example, using existing technologies, communications signals have been coupled to medium voltage power lines and delivered to a wireless access point, which then wirelessly transmits the communications signals to one or more customer devices having a wireless receiver.